The NZUS Council welcomes the US Senate confirmation of Senator Tom Udall as the US Ambassador to New Zealand, NZUS Council executive director Jordan Small said.

"We look forward to welcoming Ambassador Udall to New Zealand and working together with him on advancing the many areas of common interest we share with the United States."

"He brings substantive experience from his more than two decades of service in the US Congress and has extensive experience in foreign relations, Native American sovereignty, climate change and conservation. This experience will be a real asset in driving the bilateral relationship forward."

"Senator Udall has a close relationship with President Biden, Senators and Congress. Having these kinds of relationships is extremely valuable in getting focus on the issues New Zealand cares about with US leaders."

"We look forward to meeting with Ambassador Udall on his arrival in New Zealand and providing him with a full briefing on the range of opportunities and challenges we see in the NZ-US relationship," Jordan Small said.

BACKGROUND ON SENATOR TOM UDALL

Tom Udall is a two-term US Senator before standing down in 2020. In the Senate he served on the Foreign Relations Committee and has been a strong advocate for Native American tribes and Pueblos in Washington DC and in New Mexico. He has extensive experience on climate change and conservation issues.

Senator Udall has said his proudest achievement, while working in Congress, was working with tribal leaders to advance their priorities and to support New Mexico's 23 tribes. This work included a bipartisan coalition to pass legislation to strengthen the principle of tribal self-governance, provide Native entrepreneurs critical resources, and secure investments in Native-language revitalisation.

Senator Udall was a co-sponsor of the Green New Deal in the US Senate, a climate change policy to establish net-zero carbon emissions by 2050.

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